A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE

 A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE

 

LT COL NOEL ELLIS

 

19/IV/2023

 

This morning, I gave my morning walk a skip. Nothing in particular but I declared it a ‘dry day’ like the Army used to jack up all vehicles for maintenance once a week. The brain needs stimulation and rest, for the Army people Dimag ghutno mein hota hai. So, the skip.

 

Be that as it may. It was a bright and lovely blue-sky day. The sun was creeping up when I noticed that all my lotus ponds were covered with a thin film of dust. It is quite common here, as last night there had been a mild sand storm. The issue is that if the surface is not kept clear our naughty fish take off and jump out of the container. If put back in time, well and good, if not, then we prepare for a burial.

 

Well, Lovey the dove was there on the lamp post his wife Dovey was missing. He was in no mood to soar or coo like he usually did. I asked him, taking a break, boss. He replied in a ‘coo’. Me too, I said.

 

It was time to water the pots and refill the grain container. Birds were waiting in the vicinity and made a bee line. There was no pahle aap, pahle aap, but pahle main. Watching the sparrows and bulbuls, Lovey too descended and sat on his favourite branch above the grain container, patiently waiting for his turn, as there was enough grain to feed them all.

 

How is Dovey? I asked. She is in grief & just not leaving her nest. Bunny lives and Bubby (one of their chicks), was taken away by the ‘nasty crow’ yesterday, you saw the chase, he said. Very unfortunate, I said. Chida-Chiddi also heard our conversation on a subject. That black ‘anna raskala’ took our baby away too. Please do something. I scratched my head and kept mulling as to how I could help these darlings.

 

What happened to Lovey? How did you allow Bubby to be taken away? Well, it’s not a very long story. Both Bunny and Bubby have grown feathers and now the nest is getting a little congested for three to stick together.

 

Besides, the chicks get into a fight often. We were ensuring that they were fed equally and fairly, thanks to you but Bubby was growing faster and had injured Bunny due to constant pecking. Oh, I see. Then…

 

Yesterday when they were engaged in a duel, Bubby the stronger one fell off from the nest. He couldn’t fly and was lying on the pavement. We swooped and cooed but we could lift it up back to the nest. This commotion was picked up by the Nasty crow and he took him away.

 

In any case he had wounds, which the ants would have exploited and eaten him alive. Laying on the cemented track in the afternoon sun would have roasted Bubby to cinders, Dovey said. In a way, when I think about it, it was good that the crow took it away. Rather than dying a painful death, it would have been fast and painless for him. God Bless his soul.

 

Loss of a chick is definitely very disturbing. Give me a little time. I shall bring back Dovey soon. She has reconciled and next time we would make a bigger and stronger nest to accommodate all of us. Hmm, I said. Take care, be strong and overcome the grief fast. Life has to go on. To which Lovely smiled and said coo-coo. I presume she meant thank you.

 

I had never thought about this explanation and a different perspective. Had you? I wonder!!!!!!!

 

JAI HIND

 

© ® NOEL ELLIS